Since working at Pleasant Pops for over a year now, I've learned many things; how to make a shot of espresso taste crisp and delicious, what kombucha actually is, the importance of raw honey...even what being an LLC (and not a corporation) means. However, one of the most important, though terribly tragic, discoveries I've made in my 13 months here is that potato chips do not grill well. Growing up, I was a huge fan of adding chips to any sandwich to add that extra, special crunch and figured tossing some into a grilled cheese would do wonders. I was wrong, they turned soggy. And even though the Route 11 chips were amazingly tasty, and certainly pair well with our non-grilled sandwiches, I definitely learned my lesson.

At Pleasant Pops we’re proud to carry almost the entire collection from Route 11 Potato Chips. Though my personal favorite is BBQ, Dill Pickle goes shockingly well with an egg salad sandwich (either on the side, or as I tend to do, right in the middle). The amazing thing about these chips is how flavorful, crunchy and consistent they are, and while keeping around classic flavors like Lightly Salted, Salt N Vinegar and Sour Cream N Chive, they also mix things up with Chesapeake Crab and, seasonally, Sweet Potato.

For over two decades, Route 11 has been churning out small batches of high quality potato chips in Mount Jackson, Virginia. Though their popularity has continued to increase over the last 22 years, Route 11 is happier to maintain their small chipping company rather than turn to a mass production factory. Proudly described on their website (and bags of chips) as a “personal art form,” it’s clear how dedicated Route 11 Potato Chips is to having a superior product that exclusively uses high quality ingredients. Make sure you test out a bag or two soon and please take my advice; if you leave the chips to their natural, un-grilled, perfectly crunchy, natural state only deliciousness will follow!